Tool construction



Dec. 28, 1937. M. R. FORD TOOL CONSTRUCTION INVENTOR MAJOR R FORD FiledAug. 18. 1936 ATTQRN EY Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED. STATE ENT OFFEQE2,103,409 Tool; cons'rnncrron 1 Major R. Ford, Min Port, N. Y.

Application August 18, 1936, Serial No. 96,561

1 Claim. (01. ace-3s) The invention herein disclosed relates to toolsand in particular to that type of tool, such as the pickax and mattock,in which the handle is provided with an outwardly flaring,tool-engaging, end section and the tool is provided with a'complementary socket to receive the outwardly flaring end section of thehandle.

In tools of this type, the tool is held in place on the handle by beingwedged on the flaring end section of the handle and the tool frequentlybecomes loose on the handle when the tool is in use. When this occurs,the tool slides along the handle and against the hands or body of theone using the tool. This condition is not only dangerous to the oneusing the tool, but when once the tool becomes loose on the handle it isa difliicult and in many cases practically impossible to again wedge thetool on the handle such that it will not again become loose.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool-securing elementwhich when utilized in conjunction with tools of the type mentioned,firmly secures the tool in place on the flared end of the handle suchthat the tool cannot be loosened and in any event cannot slide downalong the handle.

When once wedged on the flared end section of the handle, the tool canbecome loose only by being moved along the flare andthusloosening thetight frictional engagement between the side of the flared end-sectionof the handle and the walls of the socket formed in the tool. Suchmovement of the tool is restrained in accordance with this invention byproviding a tool-securing element that includes a section which engagesthe constricted edge of the socket in the tool, a section that extendsalong the flared tool-engaging end-section of the handle and'between thehandle and the wall of the socket of the tool, and a section whichengages the end of the handle. This tool-retaining element serves toholdthe tool in the position on the handle on which it is wedged. And sincethe tool is held in the position in which it is wedged it cannot becomeloosened.

A tool constructed in this manner is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section of the tool;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of a modified form of tool.

In the drawing, the tool l is illustrated as mounted upon a handle 2.The handle 2 has a .fiared, tool-engaging, end-section 3 and the tool Ihas a complementary socket 4 in which the flared, tool-engaging,end-section 3 of the handle 2 is received. In mounting the tool on thehandle, the grip end of the handle is inserted through the socket of thetool and the tool is moved along the handle until the flared,toolengaging, end-section 3 of the handle is received within the socket4. The section 3 of the handle is then'wedged in the socket.

In mounting the handle on the tool, there is inserted a tool-retainingelement 5 which consists of a piece of steel stock of approximatelyone-eighth of an inch in thickness. One end of this piece of stock isbent to form a flange 5a which engages the edge of the constricted endof the socket. A central section 5?) extends along the wall of thesocket and between the wall of the socket and the surface of the flaredend section 3 of the handle. When the handle is inserted, thetool-retaining element extends beyond the edge of the socket asindicated at 50. After the tool has been firmly wedged upon the flared,

tool-engaging end 3,0f the handle, the section 5c section 50 has beenbent over to form the flange 0 Eat, it will be seen that thetool-retaining element 5 firmly secures the tool in the position on theflared end of the handle in which it was wedged on to the handle. Thetool cannot, therefore, move along the handle and thus become loosenedand slide along the handle.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a tool i in which the socket is of ovalshape. In such a tool, the tool-retaining element 5 may be narrower thanthe one used with a squaresocket. The tool retaining element may beshaped in accordance With the curvature of the handle, but is preferablyplaced at the fiat section of the oval where it presents leastinterference with forming a tight wedge between the walls of the socketof the tool and the flared end of the handle. Its construction andoperation in a tool having an oval shaped socket or even a round socketis the same as with a tool having a square socket.

From the above description of the embodiments of the inventionillustrated in the draw ing, it will be seen that by the invention thereis provided'a tool-retaining element by which, and

tool construction in which, the tool is securely the handle and itcannot become loosened or slide along the handle.

It will be obvious that various modifications may be made by thoseskilled in the art in the details of the construction illustrated in thedrawing and described in detail above within the principle and scope ofmy invention as expressed in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a tool having a handle with an outwardly flaring, tool-engaging endsection and a tool having a complementary socket to receive the flaredend of the handle, a tool-retaining element for retaining the tool inposition on the handle comprising a single fiat piece of sheet metal ofrelatively narrow and substantially uniform width consisting of aflanged section extending outwardly over the edge of the socket in thetool at the restricted end of the socket and engaging the inner face ofthe tool, a longitudinal section extending along the wall of the socketand between the wall of the socket and the flared end section of thehandle, and a flanged end section extending inwardly over andengaging-the outer end of the handle and terminating thereon, wherebythe direct wedging contact between the socket and flared end of the toolhandle is substantially continuous.

MAJOR R. FORD.

